A SCHEME to prevent motorists driving round and round St Albans city centre looking for a parking space could be in place by Christmas. Herts Highways was approached by the district council in 2007 to investigate the feasibility of introducing real-time

A SCHEME to prevent motorists driving round and round St Albans city centre looking for a parking space could be in place by Christmas.

Herts Highways was approached by the district council in 2007 to investigate the feasibility of introducing real-time, car-parking information signs for the main car parks in the city centre.

The aim was to prevent unnecessary travel around the city centre by car drivers looking for a parking space and to make best use of the current parking provision.

St Albans council committed £80,000 towards the cost of the scheme which is currently at the detailed design stage.

The signs, which will indicate how full or otherwise the major car parks are in the city centre, will be at strategic locations such as London Road, Hatfield Road, Holywell Hill and Verulam Road.

In order to minimise the impact on the areas where they are to be installed, the size of the sign surrounds will be reduced to the minimum legal requirement.

Subject to the necessary legal agreements between Herts County Council and the car-park operators being completed, they should be operating in time for the Christmas period.